OKEHAMPTON Town Council has made a £432 grant to the North Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team.

In May the council allocated £10,000 to be distributed to local organisations and charities over the coming year, and regularly reviews gift aid applications. There is a cap of a £500 maximum amount the council will grant from the allotted money, in efforts to spread the £10,000 as fairly and evenly as possible.

The team is a voluntary organisation that assists police and other emergency services by providing a search and rescue facility for missing and injured persons, 365 days of the year. The team is a registered charity and relies entirely on public donations to cover the annual £10,000 running costs.

One of four teams that make up the Dartmoor Rescue Group, the team covers the north of Dartmoor National Park, with the east, south and west of Dartmoor covered by the teams based at Ashburton, Plymouth and Tavistock.

The work of the group is seen first hand by town councillors Paul Vachon and Michael Ireland, who are members of the team.

The allocation leaves the council with £6,468 left to allocate throughout the rest of the year to local charities and organisations.